File format used for terrain making:
.tga -used for color maps and textures
.cpt -this is what the trngen builds
.tpj -runs the trngen
.raw -used to to make your height map
.trn -terrian information

Introduction:
Before I go on, you must have a good understanding of photoshop and the bhd mod tools in order to follow this tut.I also suggest you
make a working PFF so you can view your terrain as I'm not sure dropping files into your BHD folder will work for BHD.

First thing....forget about quad terrains.
Don't try this until you have a better understanding of terrain making.
Also, you can view all the sample files needed for terrain building in the bhd mod tools sample folder.

Height map:

you start off by making a 1024x1024 greyscale and using brushes paint a bumpmap like so:

save as a .raw file and name it something like yourterrain1_d.raw

Now...you have the beginnings of your height map

This next step is were many I believe give up while learning terrain making.

Make a folder and put it anywhere you like and name it yourterrian1

Now copy the Sample.TPJ which can be located in the sample folder in the BHD mod tools and put it in your yourterrian1
folder.

Now edit the Sample.TPJ file to reflect the location path of where your folder yourterrian1 is.

example path

terrainname "yourterrian1"
creator "you"
path "C:\BHD FILES\dfbhd_modtools_020304_xx\yourterrian1\" ;be sure to have a backwards slash at the end of path
depthmap "yourterrian1_d.raw"
output "yourterrian1"

-edit path and output as well and also terrain name and rename TPJ to yourterrian1

-Ok now you are ready to compile the .raw file in the BHD mod tools

running CPT:

Ok now you are ready to navigate to where your mod tools folder is located.

click the Tergen program in mod tools and open the yourterrian1.tpj

In upper right click build and away you go.....

If your path is set correctly in your TPJ than the build will start compiling the lods ( this will take a good while)

When it is completed you will now have a yourterrian1.CPT file in your yourterrian1 folder along with alot more .tml files which you can ignore

Colormap:

Well you have got this far to don't give up now.

Many people do color maps in programs such as terragen but I do mine the old fashion way in photoshop.
What I do is open the yourterrain1_d.raw in photoshop and use it as a base.
Convert it to a RBG color and start layering textures on top of that while overlaying each texture to get the right effect you desire.

Once you are happy with your colormap save as yourterrian1_c.tga and as a 1024x1024

Getting terrain in game:

Ok, this is where the .TRN file comes into play.

Open the sample folder in BHD mod tools and and copy and paste the sample.trn into your working yourterrain1 folder.

Rename sample.TRN file to yourterrain1.TRN

Below is a sample TRN and I will put yourterrain1 in the main things you have to edit in order to at least view your terrain in game

There are many things you can change concerning this file such as polytrn_detailmap, but in the interest of time I'm only going to cover the must edits.

foliage
graphic mveg2b.3di ; the 3DI to place on the terrain - must be <=20 verts
color_lower 0 ; 0=match ground 1=50% blend 2=retain full color
color_upper 1 ; 0=match ground 1=50% blend 2=retain full color
match 254 ; match with up to four different colors in the foliagemap
end

foliage
graphic mveg2c.3di ; the 3DI to place on the terrain - must be <=20 verts
color_lower 0 ; 0=match ground 1=50% blend 2=retain full color
color_upper 1 ; 0=match ground 1=50% blend 2=retain full color
match 253 ; match with up to four different colors in the foliagemap
end

Ok, now you are ready to see what you have made. Hopefully at this point you either have a working PFF to put your terrains in or you can drop files into your bhd dirictory although I'm not sure if you will be able to see them in med this way. You can drop file into the game directory for JO or DFX but what I suggest is you make a working PFF so you can view skins, terrains and models in a more a more organized way.

A very thorough and extremely informative tutorial from Sonic... I had no idea where to start with terrains and this is perfect!!!
Smoke10 has made a very good start too! (at the speed I work at -slow- I'd better stick to buildings..lol)

dzine wrote:A very thorough and extremely informative tutorial from Sonic... I had no idea where to start with terrains and this is perfect!!! Smoke10 has made a very good start too! (at the speed I work at -slow- I'd better stick to buildings..lol)

Thanks Dzine,

Your buildings btw are awsome. Keep up the great job and I'm looking forward to the NSO release.